Gwanda presses panic button

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THE financially-crippled Gwanda Town Council is set to hold an emergency meeting in a bid to come up with ways of recovering over $1 million it is owed by residents.

THE financially-crippled Gwanda Town Council is set to hold an emergency meeting in a bid to come up with ways of recovering over $1 million it is owed by residents. ALBERT NCUBE OWN CORRESPONDENT

A full council meeting on Monday resolved to hold a special meeting after the finance and licensing committee chairperson Johane Ncube indicated that most residents were not paying their bills. Council recently disconnected water supplies to scores of residents in a bid to recover some money.

“There is need to hold such a meeting as we need the money for service delivery.

“Right now as we speak, some of the workers have gone for three months without pay,” mayor Knowledge Ndlovu said.

The previous MDC-led council at one time engaged the services of debt collectors to recover money owed by residents.

Many residents have been reluctant to pay bills since the government decided to write off debts owed by ratepayers in the run-up to last year’s elections.

Residents who were up to date with their bills felt short-changed by the order and are now among most defaulting residents.

Council has also indicated that it would fork out $5 000 for the cutting of overgrown grass that has been posing a danger to road users in the town.

Ncube said each of the 10 wards would receive $500 for paying casual workers who would be employed as grass cutters.

The slashing of grass would also help curb cases of mugging in the town.